DID YOU KNOW? Arsenal's new signing used to be a 'motor boy'

Many Arsenal fans may now be aware that the club has signed yet another unknown youngster, but what they may not know is how he came about, or how he even ended up at one of the best clubs in the world.

His names is Cohen Bramall, and his journey hasn’t been an easy one – safe to say quite different from the many youngsters that The Gunners have signed over the years.

Bramall, 20, only weeks ago worked as a factory boy at luxury car makers, Bentley, where he earned £400 a week, and had been made redundant, he claims. Now, weeks later, he will be earning around £3,000 a week playing for Arsenal.

When he got the call that he was joining Arsenal, he thought it was a prank, but now he knows better, having put pen to paper and being unveiled by Gunners’ boss himself, Arsene Wenger.

“It feels incredible. I can't believe I'm here already. It's been mental,” he said after signing.

“It's been crazy. I played for Hednesford Town. I had been there for about five months and the manager was Lee McDonald who really took me on.

“I wanted to be a left winger and he said in front of my mum and dad ‘no I want you to be a left back.’

“I was new to it but I played left back for him and he gave me a lot of confidence to be a proper left back.”

Bramall was signed from Hednesford Town in the Northern League Premier Division (I'm sure a lot of you have never heard of that).

But he wasn't short on offers though, as he revealed there were several teams interested but he could only say yes to Arsenal.

“Teams were getting interested and my confidence was getting bigger and bigger. And then I signed with an agency called Full Contact with Lee Payne and Dan Chapman. A great agency with a lot of non-League talent there. It's complete credit to them on that.

“I went to Crystal Palace for a week and played a behind-closed-doors match against Brentford. That went OK and then I went on trial at Sheffield Wednesday. I played a game at Birmingham City which was last Monday.

“And then last week Tuesday I got made redundant from Bentley Motors and then on the Wednesday, Arsenal came in and I was gobsmacked so took the chance with both hands.

“Drove down on the Wednesday night and then trained on the Thursday and Friday. Then they offered me a deal.

“My mouth dropped. I looked at my agent and it was a pretty emotional response really. I just couldn't believe it and thought yes.”

While he has trained with the Arsenal first team, he will however play for the U23s for the time being.

Meanwhile, he is still star-struck on getting to meet Wenger and he said of his meeting with the Arsenal boss: “I met Arsene Wenger on the pitch.

“He's a top, top guy and the chemistry was there straight away. Hopefully I can impress him.

“You are there watching Match of the Day at home and the next minute you are on the same pitch as Alexis [Sanchez], Mesut [Ozil], Olivier Giroud and Petr Cech.

“It still hasn't hit me yet but you have to take the opportunity. They [his parents] couldn't believe it. I phoned my mum and she said she was so proud and got upset. But it was a good cry. Everything is so surreal now.

“I followed Arsenal a lot. They play the best football in the Premier League - no doubt. I love watching that [Jack] Wilshere [team goal vs Norwich] and Giroud goal [scorpion kick vs Crystal Palace]. I tend to learn the left back role by watching other top, top players,” he said.

Hopefully, the next time Arsenal fans hear that name, he will be scoring a 'scorpion kick’ goal in the Premier League against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.